Jefferson County artist Jeffrey Wind Leiser recently created a mixed-media painting called “Dr. DuBois Dreams of the Divine Ride” and gave it to his longtime primary care physician, Dr. John DuBois of Eureka.
Leiser, 70, of Hoene Springs said the piece is the second in an eight-part series focusing on the dreams of the various doctors who have helped him through the years.
The painting depicts DuBois and his family, including his wife, Jen, and their two daughters, Josie and Claire, waterskiing. DuBois himself is barefoot waterskiing, a particular passion he picked up when he was 11 years old.
DuBois is based at the Mercy Clinic in Eureka, 20 The Legends Parkway.
“I have relied on (DuBois’) medical advice and guidance for 23 years, and I consider him an outstanding physician with a wonderful family,” Leiser said. “After seeing a picture of the doctor skiing without skis, I set out to create a painting based on the family’s shared experiences that could be interpreted in multiple ways, depending on the moment and the lighting, with many paintings hidden within a single canvas.”
Leiser presented the artwork to DuBois on Nov. 21.
Dubois said he was impressed with how the painting turned out, especially Leiser’s attention to detail and use of various techniques that, under different lighting, seem to change details in the painting.
Leiser showed DuBois the first painting in the series of Dr. Jeffrey Copeland, a plastic surgeon who is based in St. Peters, playing a guitar called “Dr. Copeland Dreams in A Minor.” He asked if DuBois would like to be the subject of a similar painting.
“(Leiser) was interested in our lives outside of medicine – the hobbies we had and so forth,” DuBois said. “I shared with him that I enjoyed barefoot water skiing and showed him a picture. He said, ‘Oh, that’s fantastic. I’d like to paint that.’ I showed him a picture of my family water skiing, being pulled by the same boat. I think that’s what led him to adjust the painting with me at the center, but also my family skiing together.
“I knew that he was an artist, but I had not honestly seen any of his work prior to the previous doctor whom he did the painting of. I had no idea how talented he really is, so I’m honored that he offered to do this for me.”
About the artist
A retired real estate agent, Leiser said he began painting in 1989, using the impressionist style favored by French painter Claude Monet, along with the obscure style of Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali, to create his works. Since each piece takes a great deal of thought and care, Leiser said he only completes about one to two paintings annually. He said it took more than seven months to finish DuBois’ painting.
Leiser is a member of the St. Louis Artists’ Guild. Pictures of his works can be viewed on the guild’s website, stlouisartistsguild.org, under the member directory.
As he completes more works, Leiser said he plans to copyright the paintings and keep pictures of his artwork on file at the Library of Congress.
For “Dr. DuBois Dreams of the Divine Ride,” Leiser said he layered acrylic and oil paints to conceptualize a dreamscape of the family’s vacation memories. He added blank puzzle pieces to the canvas and painted over them to create more dimension. He also hand-crafted a frame for the painting made from oak and southwestern cedar, which he called “a nod to the family’s love of outdoor adventures.”
“I think it’s easy to paint what you see, but imagining scenarios and translating them into coherent images takes careful thought,” Leiser said. “Dr. DuBois hovers at the center (of the painting); to the left are his wife, Jen and his youngest daughter, Josie, as his oldest daughter, Claire, rises on the right into her own orbit, yet remains connected to the family by an almost imperceptible ray of light.”
About the doctor
DuBois said he began barefoot water skiing, the act of water skiing without the skis, when he was young after watching someone else do it. His family bought a ski boat, on which he learned how to do various tricks and eventually began competing for a short time in barefoot water skiing events.
“Whenever I went to medical school, I kind of gave all that up 20-something years ago,” DuBois said. “About eight years ago, we bought a boat, and I started skiing again and doing some barefooting. I don’t really do anything like I used to, just getting up without skis.”
DuBois said his family regularly vacations at the Lake of the Ozarks for skiing and has also gone to Table Rock Lake in the past. While his family likes to water ski, only DuBois takes on barefoot skiing.
“My family and I truly enjoyed the presentation (of the new painting),” DuBois said. “I love how (Leiser) incorporated our family and our experiences into the artwork and how dynamic it becomes under different lighting. We can’t wait to see how the painting comes together with the other pieces he’s creating.”
Who’s next?
The next two paintings for the dreamscape doctor series are in the works, Leiser said.
An orthopedic surgeon based in St. Louis is slated to be the subject of the third painting, and a general surgeon based in Fenton will likely be the subject of the fourth painting, he said.
“Each painting (in the series) will begin with an action photo of the doctor that they will select for the work,” Leiser explained. “After giving consent, I spend some time getting to know the model and blend their life into a dreamscape. Then the work will be interlinked to the rest of the paintings in the series.
“When viewed in their entirety, each will hold clues that form a story.”